Traffic intersection



Oct. 22, 1963 A. o. CEDENO TRAFFIC INTERSECTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20, 1958 Ar/uro O/wero e s [NI/[N708 Oct. 22, 1963 A. o. CEDENO TRAFFIC INTERSECTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001',- 20. 1958 Q Arfuro Oflvero Ceawol Oct. 22, 1963 A. o. CEDENO TRAFFIC INTERSECTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 20, 1958 Oct. 22, 1963 A. o. CEDENO TRAFFIC INTERSECTION Filed Oct. 20, 1958 Arzuro a/n ero (ea e00 3,107,594) TRAFFIC WTERSECTION Arturo Oiivero Cedeno, Monterrey, Mexico 11erforadora Latina, A., Madrid 21, Mexico City, Mexico) Fiied Oct. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 768,199 8 Claims. (Cl. 94--1) This invention relates to roads and more particularly to intersections for crossing roads or streets.

In the past urban interchanges for crossing streets as well as rural interchanges for crossing streets or roads have provided for continuous flow traflic in all directions either by using a clover leaf or similar designs, or by use of three-level interchanges spread over a very :large area of land. The use of three-level interchanges and the large area cloverleafs greatly increases the cost of interchanges.

It is an object of this invention to provide a two-level road intersection for streets or highways having a minimum number of elevational changes and providing for continuous flow trafiic in all directions.

Another object is to provide a two-level road intersection having a minimum of elevational changes While providing rfor continuous flow trafiic regardless of the number of roads radiating from the interchange.

Another object is to provide a highway intersection which utilizes only two levels and which will occupy a minimum area.

Another object is to provide a two-level intersection for highways which occupies a minimum area and yet provides for large radius turns for making left and right turns.

Another object is to provide an interchange for highways made up of several component parts such as separate intersections which are identical to reduce the cost of design and construction.

Another object is to provide a two-level interchange for road intersections in which all bridges may be straight to reduce the cost of construction.

Another object is to provide a two-level road intersection providing for continuous tr-afiic in all directions in which there is only one change of elevation for any one trajectory.

Other objects, features and will be apparent from the the claims.

Referring now to the drawings wherein illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown and wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts:

FIG/1 is a plan view of a road intersection constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the intersection shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan View of a modified form of intersection; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the intersection shown in FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 a two-street intersection with the streets running northesouth and east-west for convenience is illustrated. At the north extremity of the intersection, the north-south street has a portion feeding inbound trafiic into the intersection and a portion 11 receiving outbound trafiic from the intersection. These portions 10 and '11 feed and receive tratlic from an interchange Which is indicated generally at 12.

At the southern extremity of the intersection the northsouth street has a portion 13 for handling incoming traffic and a portion 14 for handling outgoing trafiic. These portions feed to and receive trafiic from an interchange indicated generally at 1-5.

advantages of the invention specification, the drawings and 3-,l@7,5% Patented Got. 22, 1963 At the eastern extremity of the intersection the eastwest street is provided with a portion 16 for handling incoming trafiic and a portion 17 for handling outgoing traffic. The portions '16 and 17 feed to and receive trafiic from the interchange indicated generally 'at 18.

At the western extremity of the intersection incoming trafiic is handled by portion 19 of the east-west street and the outgoing traflic is handled by portion 20 of the eastwest street. The lanes in portions 19 and 20 feed trafiic to and receive traflic from the interchange indicated generally at 2-1.

The interchanges 12, 15, 1'8 and 21 are identical and therefore only one will be described in detail.

As best seen in FIG. 2 each interchange is a two-level structure and incoming trafiic on each interchange enters the interchange at a common level, and leaves the interchange at a' common level. From a study of the entire intersection it will be seen tendency of rollercoastering or repeated level changes in the intersection. This permits the intersection to be laid out in a relatively small area as compared to an intersection in which several level changes are necessary to go through the intersection.

The incoming trafiic on the upper level 22 of an interchange divides into three lanes 23, 24 and 25. Lane 24 handles through traflic in the intersection and remains at an upper level to a point beyond the bridge 26 where it joins down ramp 27. Ramp 27 conveys the through tratfic to the lower level on the north-south street. Eastbound trafiic on the eastbound street lane 24 joins a ramp 27m which remains at an upper level and connects with a bridge 28 in the crossing indicated generally at 29 at the center of the intersection. Westbound tralfiic on the east lwest street in like manner is conveyed over a ramp 27b to a bridge 28a in crossing 29. Thus at crossing 29 the east-west through tratfic remains at the upper level until aiiter it is beyond the crossing 29, and the northsonth traflic is conveyed to the lower level by ramps 27 where it crosses under bridges 28 and 28a to provide for through trafiic in both directions without merging or crossing trafiic. After the eastbound through traffic has gone through crossing 29, it is conveyed to the lower level by a ramp 3 1. In like manner, westbound through trafiic is conveyed to the lower level by a ramp 32. In each intersection the outbound trafiic is handled in the lower level of the intersection by a lane 33 which passes under bridge 34 and conveys trafilc to the outbound portion of the street.

Left-turn trafiic from each interchange is handled by a lane 23 in the upper level. This land crosses bridge 34, and a ramp 35 then conducts left-turn trafiic to the lower level. The ramp 3S proceeds in a substantially constant radius left turn and joins with a lower level lane 36 in an adjacent interchange. The lane 36 proceeds under bridge 26 and joins with the outbound traffic lanes of each street at 37. it will be noted that there is room for three or more outbound lanes on each street and, therefore, no merging or crossing traflic is present. The bridges 24 permit left-turn trafi'ic to pass under both the through trafiic lanes and the left-turn lanes and, therefore, there is no merging or crossing traffic in making a left turn. Of course the bridge 34 permits left-turn trafiic in its inception to cross the outgoing trafiic lanes 33.

Right-turn trafiic is handled by lanes 25. Preferably the lanes 25 are on the upper level of the interchange, but it is apparent that it is not necessary that they be at the upper level because there are no other roads for the rightturn trafiic to cross. The right-turn lanes 25 join with down ramps 38 which proceed in a substantially constant radius right-turn curve and join with the outgoing lanes of each road at 39.

From the above, it is believed apparent that there has that this [feature avoids any been provided an intersection in which an interchange is provided on each street on opposite sides of a crossing of a pair of roads and in which all incoming traffic is handled in one level of each interchange, and all outgoing trafiic is handled in the other level of each interchange.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 3 and 4 in which a modified form of the invention is shown. This form of the invention basically differs from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in that a crossover of the through trafiic is provided at each interchange to reverse the street relationship of traffic at the crossing. The left-turn traffic lanes do not leave the interchanges until the through trafiic turns back to the right to parallel the oncoming traffic. in other words, the through and left-turn traflic Y at the end of the crossover. Thereafter, the left-turn traffic proceeds in a substantially constant radius turn until it parallels the lower level through traffic of the interchanges.

The intersection of FIGS. 3 and 4 includes a crossing indicated generally at 41 and four identical interchanges 42, 43, 44 and 45. Again the two crossing streets have been designated north-south and east-west for convenience, and an interchange is provided on each street on opposite sides of the crossing 41.

As all of the interchanges are identical, only one will be described in detail.

Traffic from the north enters interchange 42 through lanes 46. Northbound trafiic leaves interchange 42 on lanes 47. In like manner, trafiic from the east enters interchange 43 from lanes 48 and eastbound traffic leaves this interchange on lanes 49.

Traffic from the south enters interchange 44 from lanes 51 and southbound traffic leaves this interchange by lanes 52. Traffic from the west enters interchange 45 on lanes 53 and westbound traffic leaves this interchange on lanes 54.

Inbound traffic is accommodated on the upper level 55 of each interchange, and outbound traffic is accommodated on the lower level 56 of each interchange.

Inbound traffic on the upper level divides and rightturn traiiic is accommodated by down ramp 57 which proceeds in a right turn to connect with the outbound tr-afiic of the adjacent interchange at 53. While it is preferred that the right-turn trafiic proceed from the upper level by the down ramp '57 to the lower level and join the adjacent interchange at 58, other provisions may be made for handling this trafiic as it does not cross any other traffic.

Through and left-turn trafiic in the upper and lower level cross each other at the interchange to reverse the street relationship or" cars proceeding through crossing 41. Preferably the upper and lower level through and turn lanes cross each other at approximately 15 degrees to the roads and 30 degrees to each other. Such a crossing is provided by the double bridge 59 which crosses the outgoing left-turn trafiic lane 61 and outgoing through traffic lane 62. This bridge 59 is preferably at least a double lane bridge which provides a lane for left-turn traffic and a lane for through traffic.

A down ramp 63 proceeds inwardly from each bridge 59 in the north-south streets and divides to provide a ramp 64 for through traffic and a ramp 65 for left-turn trafiic. In the east-west street, each ramp 63a Ys and provides a down ramp 65a as in the north-south street, but the through traffic remains at the upper level on an elevated structure 66. Thus, through traffic from the north-south roads is conveyed under bridges 67 and 68 which receive traiiic from the elevated roads 66. This provides for through traffic in both directions without crossing merging trafiic. After crossing the bridges 66 and 67, the east-west through traflic proceeds to the lower level via ramps 69. It is noted that the ramps 64 parallel each other, and the elevated lanes 66 and traiiic on bridges 67 and 68 parallel each other. The direction of these lanes is parallel to that of the roads extending north-south and east-West, respectively, so that the through and left-turn lanes in the upper and lower level of each interchange extend at an angle of approximately 15 degrees with the connecting road and the through lanes inboard of the interchanges.

From the explanation as it has thus far proceeded, it is apparent that at the time that left-turn traffic leaves the interchanges, a 15 degree turn has already been made. It is also apparent that a second 15 degree turn is provided between left-turn traiiic and the outgoing lanes of each road at the interchange because the lanes 61 extend at approximately a 15 degree angle to the direction of the road onto which they feed traffic. Therefore, it is only necessary for the left-turn traffic to proceed along ramps 65 and 65a in a left turn through a 60 degree turn.

As the two through traflic lanes at the crossing are reversed in the direction of traflic'fiow, they occupy the same area that the through traffic lanes do in the FIGS. =1 and 2 embodiment. However, inasmuch as the left-turn traffic makes a 15 degree turn and then proceeds straight through the interchange to the down ramps 65 and 65a, before beginning the 60 degree turn it is apparent that the left-turn lanes may be closer to the crossing 4'1 and, therefore, the intersection will consume much less room than the form illustrated in l and 2. Of course, both the FIGS. l and 2 form of invention utilize much less area than the conventional cloverleaf and three-level intersections which are conventionally employed for through traffic in all directions. a

A further advantage of the form of invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is that all bridges are straight, and 7 therefore their construction cost may be held to a minimum.

The flow of traiiic in both intersections will be substantially the same, and therefore trafiic will only be traced in the FIGS. 3 and 4 form of this invention as an explanation thereof will render obvious the flow of traffic in the FIGS. 1 and 2 form of the invention.

Traffic approaching from the north on the lanes pro vided by roadway portion 46 proceeds to the upper level 55 of interchange 42. Here traffic desiring to turn right and proceed west moves on to the land provided on down ramp 57, proceeds in a right curve on the lane provided by the road 60, and joins with the outgoing traffic lanes 54 proceeding in a westerly direction at 58.

Traffic from the north desiring to travel either east or south proceeds in the traffic lanes provided on bridge 59 to the down ramp 63. From down ramp 63 through traffic proceeds along the lanes provided on down ramp 64 beneath the bridges 67 and 68 and connects with the outgoing through trafiic lanes 62 in the lower level of interchange 44. Traffic from lanes 62 is fed to the outgoing lanes 52 of the southbound road.

Traflic from the north wishing to turn left divides on the down ramp 63 and proceeds along the lanes on the down ramp 65, making a gentle left turn to lanes 61 in the lower level of interchange 43. of interchange 43, this outbound left-turn trafiic is fed to the lanes 45 of the eastbound road.

It will be noted that both through and leftturn traffic make approximately a 15 degree turn in the upper level of interchange 42 before proceeding across bridge 59. Then the left-turn traffic makes a 60 degree left turn to join with the traffic in lanes 61. Thereafter, when trafiic from lanes 61 is fed onto the eastbound road, a 15 degree turn is made to complete the degree turn between the southbound and the eastbound traffic. Through trafiic makes a 63, and before entering the interchange 44 a second right turn of 15 degrees is made. As the lanes 62 join the outbound trafiic lanes 52 of the southbound road, a 15 degree turn to the left is made.

Traffic from the south proceeds to the night, left or straight ahead in the manner above explained. Trafiic from the east and west proceeds in a similar manner, except that the through traffic proceeds along the raised From the lower level right turn of 15 degrees on ramp 6 roadway 66 and passes over bridges 67 and 68 at crossing 61 before connecting with the outbound through lanes 62 of the east and west interchanges.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as Well as in the details of the illustrated construction, may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A road intersection for handling traific from a plurality of roads comprising a two-level interchange, lanes on one of said levels receiving incoming trafiic from all of said streets, ramps conveying all of said incoming traffic to the other of said levels, and lanes on the other level handling all outgoing traflic, the lanes providing for through traific crossing each other at diiierent levels in the center of the intersection, the lanes providing for incoming through and lefit-turn traific crossing the outgoing through and left-turn :traffic before reaching said ramps leading to the lower level.

2. A road intersection comprising, first and second roads crossing at different levels, two-level interchanges on each road spaced from said crossing on both sides, a lane on one level of each interchange crossing outgoing left-turn traific and extending .to said crossing to provide for through tratlic, a lane on said one level or each interchange crossing outgoing through and left-turn traffic and extending in a left curve to the other level of an adjacent interchange to provide for left-turn trailic, and lanes on the other level of each intersection providing for outgoing through and turn traific.

3. A road intersection comprising, first and second roads crossing at different levels, twolevel interchanges on each road spaced from said crossing on both sides, and providing for turn trafilc, a lane on one level of each interchange crossing out-going left-turn traflic and extending to said crossing to provide for through tralfic, a lane on said one level of each interchange crossing outgoing through and left-turn traflic and extending in a left curve to the other level of an adjacent interchange to provide for left-turn traific, a lane on said one level of each interchange extending in a right curve to said other level of an adjacent interchange to provide for right-turn trafiic, and lanes on the other level of each intersection providing for outgoing through and turn .trafiic.

4. A road intersection comprising, first and second roads crossing at different levels, upper and lower level interchanges on each road spaced from said crossing on both sides and providing for turn traific, a lane on each interchange upper level crossing outgoing left-turn traffic and extending to said crossing to provide for through rtrafiic, a lane on each interchange upper level extending in a left curve over outgoing through and left-turn traffic to the lower level of an adjacent interchange to provide for left-turn traflic, a lane on each interchange extending in a right curve to the lower level of an adjacent interchange to provide for right-turn traflic, and lanes on the lower level of each intersection for outgoing through and turn trafiic.

5. A road intersection comprising, first and second roads crossing at different levels, upper and lower level interchanges on each road spaced from said crossing on each side, lanes on one level providing for incoming, through and left-turn trafiic, lanes on the other level providing for outgoing through and left-turn traffic, said incoming and outgoing lanes crossing each other at the interchange to reverse the street relationship of vehicles in the through and left-turn lanes inboard of the interchanges, and left-turn lanes extending from said incoming lanes before they reach the road and curving left until they parallel the outbound through lane of an adjacent interchange as it crosses incoming lanes.

6. A road intersection comprising, first and second roads crossing at different levels, upper and lower level interchanges on each road spaced from said crossing on each side, lanes on one level providing for incoming, through and left turn traffic, lanes on the other level providing for outgoing through and left turn trafiic, said incoming and outgoing lanes crossing each other at the interchange to reverse the street relationship of vehicles in the through and left-turn lanes inboard of the interchanges, le-ft-turn lanes extending from said incoming lanes before they reach the road and curving left until they parallel the outbound through lane of an adjacent interchange as it crosses incoming lanes, and right-turn lanes extending between said roads and outboard of the left-turn lanes.

7.) A road intersection comprising, first and second roads crossing a difierent levels, upon and lower level interchanges on each road spaced from sm'd crossing on both sides, lanes on one level providing for incoming through and left-turn tnatfic, lanes on the other level providing outgoing through and left-turn traffic, said incoming and outgoing lanes crossing each other at approximately a 30 degree angle and joining one of said roads at approximately a 15 degree angle to reverse the street relationship of vehicles in the through and left-turn lanes inboard of the interchanges, and left-turn lanes extending from said incoming crossing lanes and curving left through a 60 degree turn and then paralleling the outgoing through lanes of the adjacent intersections.

8. A road intersection comprising, first andsecond roads crossing at different levels, upper and lower level interchanges on each road spaced from said crossing on both sides, lanes on one level providing for incoming through and left-turn trafiic, lanes on the other level providing for outgoing through and left-turn trafiic, said incoming and outgoing lanes crossing each other at approxi mately a 3-0 degree angle and joining one of said roads at approximately a 15 degree angle to reverse the street relationship of vehicles in the through and left-turn lanes inboard of the interchanges, and left-turn lanes extending from said incoming crossing lanes and curving left through a 60 degree turn and then paralleling the outgoing through traific lanes through adjacent intersections and joining the roads at 15 degree angles at points beyond the intersections.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS l,689,l41 Skultin Oct. 23, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 736,887 Germany July 1, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES Civil Engineering, May 1948, page 41.

A Policy on Arterial Highways in Urban Areas, by Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of Public Roads, July 1956, FIGS. J-l9(a) and 149(0).

A Policy on Arterial Highways in Urban areas by American Assoc. of State Highway Officials, 1957, p. 511. 

1. A ROAD INTERSECTION FOR HANDLING TRAFFIC FROM A PLURALITY OF ROADS COMPRISING A TWO-LEVEL INTERCHANGE, LANES ON ONE OF SAID LEVELS RECEIVING INCOMING TRAFFIC FROM ALL OF SAID STREETS, RAMPS CONVEYING ALL OF SAID INCOMING TRAFFIC TO THE OTHER OF SAID LEVELS, AND LANES ON THE OTHER LEVEL HANDLING ALL OUTGOING TRAFFIC, THE LANES PROVIDING FOR THROUGH TRAFFIC CROSSING EACH OTHER AT DIFFERENT LEVELS IN THE CENTER OF THE INTERSECTION, THE LANES PROVIDING FOR INCOMING THROUGH AND LEFT-TURN TRAFFIC CROSSING THE OUTGOING THROUGH AND LEFT-TURN TRAFFIC BEFORE REACHING SAID RAMPS LEADING TO THE LOWER LEVEL. 